(INDIANAPOLIS) - For the seventh consecutive year, JAKKS Pacific Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) Chairman and CEO Stephen Berman has reached out to his close friend, Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner Herb Simon, with a major donation of toys for Hoosier children.

In celebration of the Pacers' 50th season, JAKKS is providing toys to 50 non-profit organizations throughout Indiana. Next week the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever will tip off a state-wide distribution of the toys by joining local police departments and schools in ceremonies in Terre Haute, Bloomington, Evansville, Muncie and Lafayette. In Fort Wayne, the toy distribution will be in partnership with the Mad Ants, the Pacers' NBA D League franchise.

In Indianapolis, the Pacers and Fever are again partnering with the Indiana National Guard in the distribution of toys to local agencies.

The toy giveaway will culminate on Monday, Dec. 19, when the Pacers play host to Washington at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where Berman, Simon, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and members of both teams will join in the final toy distribution during pre-game and in-game festivities.

"From this simple friendship between two very generous individuals, thousands and thousands of our children in Central Indiana have had smiles on their faces during the past seven years," said Pacers Sports & Entertainment President and COO Rick Fuson. "Now this year, children in an additional six Indiana communities will be the beneficiaries of Stephen's generosity and genuine act of continuing kindness."

JAKKS Pacific, a leading U.S. toy and consumer products manufacturer based in Santa Monica, California, designs, develops, and markets consumer products for children and pets.

The holiday toy giveaway is part of the Pacers Cares and the Pacers' "Season of Giving", which included other holiday events such as: Pacers "Come To Our House" Thanksgiving Meal presented by Rodney Stuckey and US Foods; "Shop With The Pacers" presented by Simon Malls; volunteers packing over 100,000 meals for Gleaners Food Bank courtesy of the RoomPlace; and blanket-making at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the American Red Cross.